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These Basic Home Repair and Maintenance tips, tricks and tutorial ideas will really help you save money.

WHY?

Because fixing a repair or mending job when it’s small is much easier, rather than waiting till it’s a larger renovation or problem since it will save you a lot of money and time.

I have several areas of the home or apartment covered below to help you keep your place nice and more comfortable to live in – and safer too.

One apartment we lived in the outside wall faced an open field. We had a particularly harsh winter and the ice formed about 1″ thick on the inside wall…bbbrrrr, it still makes me shiver. Let’s start with those windows and doors/

Drafty Windows and Doors

A simple and inexpensive quick fix is to use self adhesive foam weather stripping. It can be rolled around the frame of the door.

Choose the smallest size that will seal; too large and the door will not close.

Calking cord or rope caulk is a great option for windows to go around the edges to seal out the air from coming in.

Clear plastic film is a another option for windows. Simply stretch the film over the window and it mounts to the window frame. Then use a hair dryer to stretch and seal the film over the window, preventing escaping air.

I remember as a kid thinking my grandparents had a monster in their bathroom because their toilet ran, and ran, and ran

Toilet Tank That Keeps Refilling On Its Own

First try loosing, tightening or untangling the chain. Any of these issues could prevent the flapper from sealing tightly and allowing water to leak out the flush valve.

If that doesn’t work, try slightly bending the tube connected to the float ball.

If none of these work, you can replace the flapper and valve inside the toilet yourself. My mother-in-law fixed her’s; so can YOU!

I’ve never had running water smell like rotten-eggs, but we do have Sulphur Springs located near a larger city we drive by frequently, and boy does it smell. If I had that in my house all the time, you can bet I’d be dumping hydrogen peroxide down the drain and calling someone asap!

Rotten-Egg Smell When You Run The Water

It could be caused by bacteria in the drain. First try pouring a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution down your drain.

Generally if the rotten-egg smell only happens when hot water is running after the peroxide, the water heater is the culprit and you need a plumber.

If the rotten-egg smell occurs when hot and cold water is running after the peroxide, it is a good idea to call your water supplier and health department.

I found this neat link with uses for hydrogen peroxide also – clickHERE

We have these in almost every room in our home, they work really well.

Ceiling Fans

To use them most efficiently to heat and cool –

In the summer have them rotating so the air is being pushed down

In the winter have the air being drawn up

In a little old house we rented many years ago, I could smell smoke. I kept insisting there was a fire and dragging Stan around the house. Finally, we could see a bit of smoke coming from old wiring. We were so blessed the house didn’t burn down!

Correctly Test Smoke Detectors

Pushing the bottom only shows they still make noise

Light, then blow out a couple of matches. Hold them under the smoke detector to see if it goes off.

Be sure to replace the batteries twice a year. I read that: smoke detectors are installed in 58 percent of homes that have fatal fires, but they are working in only 37 percent of those fires. WOW

Squeaky doors are the loudest when you get the baby/kids to sleep, or trying to sneak a bit of chocolate to have all by yourself!

Have Squeaky Doors – Here’s How to Fix it in only 10 minutes! click HERE

Heating and Air Conditioning

Replace the filters monthly. This will save you money as well as allow the units to function more efficiently too.Vents and FansVacuum the duct-work, fans and coils on –

The refrigerator and kitchen exhaust fan

Ceiling Fans and Bathroom Fans

Dryer Vent (this can also prevent a fire as lint can build up)

I managed to royally plug up the disposal, twice! Once I put peach peels down when canning peaches. The second when shelling a bunch of eggs. Do not do either of those things, trust me….

Garbage Disposal

These jam and usually at the most opportune times. It can be from too many egg shells, fibrous peels such as peaches or celery or a utensil.

When the disposal jams it stops working and kinds hums or buzzes.

First shut off the power.

Then look into the disposal chamber with a flashlight to see what the problem is – do NOT put your hand in the unit.

If you can see the problem, pull it out with a pair of pliers.

If you can’t clear any debris away with a wooden spoon or other device.

Then with as much pressure as possible, try to turn the rotor in either direction; remove the blockage with pliers.

You will most likely need to push the reset button on the bottom of the diposer, or trip/flip the circuit breaker associated with the disposer to make it work again.

If not, clear away any debris with a wooden spoon or tongs and insert a wooden broom handle into the disposer.

Using as much pressure as possible, try to turn the rotor in either direction.

*If you cannot make it work, call a professional, do not risk your safety.

This seemed to always happen when Stan was out of town and the kids had been playing with the flashlights that were not supposed to be moved making it easy for me to light the furnace – yeah….

Furnace Pilot Light

This is another one of those things that seems to go out at the most inconvenient of times; usually when there is a storm or high wind.

Before this happens, familiarize yourself with the instructions on the relighting instructions printed on the front of the heater. If it does not have these instructions, you will need to call a professional to come and light the pilot light for you.

Tip: Keep a box of long-stemmed fireplace matches handy to use for this purpose. It makes lighting the pilot light much easier.

I hope these Basic Home Repair and Maintenance tips, tricks and helps will get you motivated to fix the little things around your house and then move on to tackle the other jobs that need doing too. It will give you a greater sense of pride in the place you live.

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About This Blog

A Mother’s Shadow offers a unique range of topics, because we are all in various stages of life; which changes continually. Here you will find valuable knowledge, skills and encouragement to build and maintain a solid foundation for your family and marriage. Also, tools for a happy life, as well as how to leave a legacy of honor and integrity for your posterity and all who will pass your way.